First Annual Report 



OF DEPARTMENT OF 



GAME AND FISH 




TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 



DEPARTMENT CREATED 1913 



E. Z. JONES 

COMMISSIONER 



T. J. Appleyard, Stato rrinter. Tallahassee, Florida 




lU-'b 




E. Z. JONES 



I was appointed first Game and Fish Commissioner of 
Florida by Gov. Park Trammell, August 5th, 1913, and 
assumed the duties of the office as provided by law Sep- 
tember 1st, following. I have given the work the most 
efficient services possible for me to render with the pro- 
visions at my command. I desire personally to thank 
each and every one who has contributed any assistance 
to me. 

Yours very truly, 




First Annual Report 



OF DEPARTMENT OF 



GAME AND FISH 




TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 



DEPARTMENT CREATED 1913 



E. Z. JONES 

COMMISSIONER 



T. J. Appleyard, State Printer. Tallahassee, t^oridn. 



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3. OF 0, 
OCT 26 1914 



J. 



CONSERVE YOUR BIRTHRIGHT. 

The most vital question now betfore the Amterican 
people is that of the conservation of our natural resources. 
Perhaps no other nation has ever been so abundantly 
endowed with wealth of mine and forest as are the people 
of the United States, and probably the citizens of no other 
nation have ever been so careless with their treasures — 
so prodigal of their birthright. 

The next generation of men and women will be made 
up of the boys and girls now in the public schools of our 
country, and upon them will devolve the solution of the 
vital problem of saving from destruction the treasures 
with which our country is so bountifully blessed. 

The young American whose birthright includes the 
birds of the air, the game of the forest, and the fishes of 
the stream, may be compared to a young man coming 
into his inheritance. If he cares for his fortunes and is 
not a spendthrift, his wealth will increase till he can live 
in comfort or even luxury, and still have enough remain- 
ing to transmit to bis children. But on the other hand, 
if he proves improvident and wasteful, he will not only 
be impoverished during his own lifetime, but will leave 
his children paupers. 

The American people have long been wasteful of their 
splendid treasures ; great forests have been set on fire, 
while the careless lumberman has destroyed the young 
and growing trees which should have been left to take 
the place in the future of the great forest trees he fells 
for the use of men ; birds and other game have been ruth- 
lessly destroyed in the mating season ; and fish, wantonly 
dynamited by the thousands. 

The American people have wasted their inherited 
wealth of mine, stream and forest for more than a cen- 
tury, and only recently have they come face to face with 
the fact that if this great country of ours is to continue 
to be a land of plenty, we must conserve our birthright. 
If we draw from the national bank of our natural re- 
sources only just as much as will provide for our com- 
forts, we can enjoy the blessings of a happy life, and still 
leave ample wealth for those who are to come after us. 



REPORT. 

Jacksonville, Fla., June 1st, 1914. 
To His Excellency, 

Park Trammell, 

Governor of Florida, 
Tallahassee, Florida. 
My dear Sir : — 

Conforming with Section 9 of Chapter 6535 of the Gen- 
eral Statutes of the State of Florida, I have the honor 
of submitting to you a general report of the conditions 
of the Game and Fish Department of the State of Flor- 
ida up to and including February 28th. While I am not 
required to make any recommendation as to changes in 
the laws governing this Department, I trust it will not 
be amiss for me to take the liberty of making some sug- 
gestions and recommendations as I see the conditions 
will warrant. 

LAWS DISREGARDED AND RIGHTS ABUSED. 

Of all the laws of the State government, the laws per- 
taining to Game, Birds and Fish have in the past re- 
ceived the least consideration by our Legislative and Exe- 
cutive bodies, and the most abuse by the citizens, of any 
laws ever printed upon the pages of the statute books of 
any State. In fact there had never been sufficient care 
and consideration elicited to create this Department until 
the session of the Legislature of 1913. There had been 
prior to that time some "Local" or "Special" laws enact- 
ed applying to some certain counties and there were a 
few chapters of General Laws, but the most important 
of the latter were pertaining to fish only, and all of 
which as stated before had been disregarded and abused. 
Had the mental eyes of our Legislature of a few years 
ago onlv scanned the distance which now lies between 



s 



our woods which were at that time teeming with such a 
sort of bird and wild game life and those same woods now 
practically denuded of the wealth they once possessed, 
what a blessing to Florida it would have been. It has 
been scarcely a child's life since our coastal and interior 
waters produced the teeming millions of fish as any like 
waters of the world and yet today a man with a hook 
and line or even a net may work sometimes for days 
without securing a catch worth his labors. Not one thing 
but many have contributed to the destruction of our 
game, birds and fish. 

GREAT INTEREST AND CONSIDERATION SHOWN 
BY THE LEGISLATORS IN CREATING THIS DE- 
PARTMENT. 

In the enactment of the laws creating this Department 
our Legislators exhibited a great interest in the subject 
matter at their hands. Such interest which existed was 
not expected to accomplish as much good as was accom- 
plished as most of them were dealing with a subject un- 
familiar to them (as is often the case with Legislators) 
and a subject to which they had not given the least 
thought and were therefore unable to see any distance 
beyond their own personal interest without very serious 
consideration. I presume that here and there some un- 
selfish person would offer a suggestion, but such person's 
influence, if any, was weakened by his being placed in 
the class with the ''lobbyists'' who are so ridicuously 
despised by the law makers of any State. However, re- 
sponding to the demand of a few persons for the pro- 
tection of our Game, Birds and Fish the Legislators made 
laws of which in their text at that time there could be no 
serious complaint as a basis for a beginning, which was, 
in their opinion, advisable. But as all men know it is one 
thing to enact lairs and another thing to enforce them. 



LEGISLATURE FAILS TO MAKE SUFFICIENT 
PROVISIONS FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE 
LAWS WHICH IT ENACTED, AS PROTECTION 
WAS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE GAME 
AND FISH LAWS. 

The Legislature unfortunately overlooked the necessity 
of providing means for the enforcement of the laws they 
enacted to govern this Department, although the laws 
enacted will bring a large net revenue to the State, and 
from the fact that there is not sufficient provision for the 
enforcement of the laws one can easily believe that the 
laws were passed in their present form more for revenue 
to the State than for protecting the Game, Birds and 
Fish, which as a matter of course is not correct as the 
primary purpose of the laws is protection. The Legis- 
lators of 1913 can congratulate themselves for enacting- 
laws which are a basis from which to work to enact 
such laws as will be the means of accomplishing their 
good intent. Thousands of people of this State have 
looked upon the protection of Game, Birds and Fish as 
an insignificant matter, when as a matter of fact next to 
the agricultural assets of the State, nothing will exceed 
in value its Game, Birds and Fish, if proper protection 
is provided. For the information of those who read this 
report I will give the two main Chapters as enacted by 
the Legislature of 1913 creating and governing this De- 
partment. 

CHAPTER 6534— (No. 114). 

AN ACT to Protect Game and Birds in the State of 
Florida. 

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 

Section 1. Ownership and Title to Wild Birds and 
Game Vested in State. — The title and ownership to all 



10 



wild birds and game in the State of Florida are vested 
in the State for the purpose of regulating the use and 
disposition of the same in accordance with the laws of 
this State. 

Sec. 2. Birds, Plumage, Skin, Eggs, and Nests Pro- 
tected; Penalty for Catching, Killing or Taking. — Any 
person who shall catch or kill, or have in his possession, 
living or dead, or who shall purchase, offer, or expose 
for sale, transport, or ship without the State any such 
wild bird after it has been killed or caught; or who shall 
sell or have in his possession for sale any part of the 
plumage, skin, or body of any bird protected by the game 
laws; or who shall take or wilfully destroy the nests of 
any wild bird, or who shall have such nests of any wild 
bird, or who shall have such nests or eggs in his or her 
possession, except as permitted by the game laws of this 
State shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon convic- 
tion, shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten nor 
more than twenty-five dollars for each offence. 

Sec. 3. Game Birds Denominated and Enumerated. — 
The following only shall be considered game birds: The 
Anatidae, commonly known as swans, geese, brant and 
river and sea ducks; Rallidae, commonly known as rail, 
coots, mud hens and gallinulas; Limicolae, commonly 
known as shore birds, plovers, surf birds, snipe, woodcock, 
sandpipers, tattlers, and curlews; Gallinae, commonly 
known as wild turkeys, grouse, pheasants, and quails; 
and the species of Columbae, commonly known as turtle 
doves. 

Sec. 4. No person or persons shall injure, kill or hunt 
or destroy by any means whatever, or have, or be in pos- 
session of, except as expressly permitted by the provi- 
sions of this Act, the following named game birds, ex- 
cept between the following dates: Wild turkey gobblers, 
quail (bob white partridges), turtle doves, swans, geese, 
brant, ducks, rails, coots, mud hens, sandpipers, curlews, 
snipe and plover, November 20th to February 20th fol- 



11 



lowing. Any person .who violates any of the provisions 
of this Section shall be deemed quiity of a misdemeanor, 
and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine 
of not less than ten dollars, nor more than twenty-five 
dollars for each offence. 

Sec. 5. Pheasants Protected. — Any person who takes, 
captures, or kills, except under permit, any ruffled 
grouse, (pheasant), Mongolian, Chinese or English pheas- 
ant, or other imported game birds, before December 1st, 
1915, and thereafter, only from November 20th to De- 
cember 20th following, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, 
and upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not 
less than ten dollars nor more than twenty -five dollars 
for each offence. 

Sec. 6. Trap, Snare, Dead-Fall, Baiting, Etc., Pro- 
hibited. — Any person who shall at any time make use of 
any pitfall, dead-fall, scaffold, cage, snare, trap, net, salt- 
lick, blind pen, baited hook, or baited field, or any other 
similar device, or any drug, poison, chemical, or explo- 
sives for the purpose of injuring, capturing or killing 
birds or animals, protected by the game laws of this 
State, except upon his or her own enclosed lands, shall 
be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction, shall be 
punished by a fine of not less than twenty nor more than 
fifty dollars for each offence. 

Sec. 7. Night Hunting Prohibited. — Any person who 
shall pursue, catch, take, or kill any birds, deer, wild tur- 
key, wild ducks, wild geese, brant or other aquatic bird 
or fowl, between dark or daylight the following day, 
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction, shall 
be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars, nor 
more than twenty-five dollars for each offence. 

Sec. 8. Hunting Wild Hogs. — Any person who, with- 
out first giving notice to at least three freeholders in the 
neighborhood, hunts, catches, or kills wild hogs unmark- 
ed, with dog or gun, must, on conviction, be fined not less 
than ten, nor more than one hundred dollars. 



12 



Sec. 9. Deer Protection; Open and Closed Season as 
To. — Any person who shall kill or attempt to kill any 
doe or female deer or fawn in spotted coat, or wild tur- 
key hen in this State; or who shall kill any deer be- 
tween February 20th and the 20 th of November, in each 
year, or who shall use any artificial light in hunting or 
killing deer, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on 
conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than 
twenty-five dollars, nor more than fifty dollars; and the 
having of such lights on the head or any part of the 
body while hunting shall be prima facie evidence of the 
violation of the last sub-division. 

Section 10. Squirrels, Open and Closed Season as to. 
— Any person who shall pursue, injure, capture, kill or 
destroy any fox squirrel, black squirrel, or gray squirrel, 
except on and from November 20th in each year to the 
following February 20th, when they may be killed; or 
who shall pursue, injure, capture or destroy any squirrel 
at any time in any public or private, park, shall be guilty 
of a misdemeanor, and on conviction, shall be punished 
by a fine of not less than ten nor more than twenty-five 
dollars; Provided, That any person may protect his 
premises from the ravages and depredations of these 
animals at any time, and in any way. 

Sec. 11. Any person who takes or kills more than 
one deer, two turkey gobblers, twenty quail or twenty- 
five birds of any other species in one day, or who has such 
birds or game in his possession for more than five days 
after the close of the season for killing the same, shall 
be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction, shall 
be punished by a fine of not less than ten nor more than 
twenty-five dollars for each offence. Any person who* 
take;- or kills more than three buck deer, five turkey 
gobblers or five hundred of any other game bird species 
during one open season, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, 
and upon conviction sliall be punished by a fine of not 
more than five hundred dollars for each offence, or im- 



13 



prisomnent in the County jail not exceeding six mouths, 
or by both such fine and imprisonment. 

Sec. 12. Selling Game Prohibited. — Any person, firm 
or corporation, who, at any time of the year, shall barter, 
sell, or order for sale, any of the game birds or animals 
protected by the Laws of Florida, either under the name 
used in the Laws of Florida, or under any other name 
or guise Whatsoever, whether lawfully or unlawfully 
taken, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon con- 
viction shall be fined not less than $10.00 nor more than 
$25.00 for each offence. 

Sec. 13. Hunting Without License Prohibited. — Any 
person who hunts outside of the limits of the voting 
precinct, ward or beat in which he actually resides with- 
out first obtaining a license permitting him or her to 
do so ; or who hunts outside of the County in which he 
actually resides without obtaining a State license per- 
mitting him or her to do so ; or any non-resident of the 
State who hunts in this State without a non-resident's 
license; or who lends or transfers his hunting, license 
to another, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon 
conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than 
ten, nor more than fifty dollars; but any resident may 
hunt upon his own lands in season without obtaining a 
hunting license. 

Sec. 14. False Statement As to Procuring License. — 
Any person who shall make to any officer authorized to 
issue a hunting license a false statement, or change or 
alter his or her license in any manner, shall be punished 
by a fine of not less than ten, nor more than twenty- 
five dollars. 

Sec. 15. Shipping or Transporting Game. — Any person 
who takes, ships or transports out of, or within this 
State any of the birds or game protected by the laws of 
this State, unless the same be in personal possession of, 
or carried openly by the owner thereof, or persons killing 
the same who has in his possession a non-resident's 



14 



license, if the same is to be carried out of this State, or 
a resident's license if the game is to be transported 
within the State, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and 
on conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less 
than ten nor more than fifty dollars. 

Sec. 16. Common Carrier Shipping Game. — Any per- 
son, company, corporation, or common carrier who shall 
ship or transport any birds or game without ascertain- 
ing if the person offering for shipment or transportation 
such birds or game is in possession of a hunting license 
duly issued to him and covering the period when such 
shipment is offered, and without requiring such person 
to accompany the shipment, shall be guilty of a misde- 
meanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished 
by a fine of not less than fifty, nor more than one 
hundred dollars. 

Sec. 17. Corporation, Service of Warrant of Arrest 
Upon. — In cases of violation of the game laws of Florida 
by a corporation, the warrant of arrest may be read to 
the president, secretary or manager in this State, or to 
any general or local agent thereof in any County where 
the action or indictment is pending, and upon the return 
of such warrant so served, corporation shall be deemed 
in Court, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, and 
any fine imposed may be collected by execution against 
the property of said corporation, but this Section shall 
not be considered to exempt any agent or employee from 
prosecution. 

Sec. 18. Officer Failing to Perform Duty. — Any of- 
ficial, officer, or warden, who shall fail to perform any 
act, duty, or obligation enjoined upon him by the provi- 
sions of the game laws of this State, shall be punished by 
a fine of not less than $50.00 nor more than $100.00. 

See. 19. Report of Prosecutions to State Commis- 
sioners.— Every Court or clerk of any Court, before whom 
any prosecution under this chapter is commenced or shall 
go on appeal, and within twenty days after trial or dis- 



15 



missal thereof, shall report in writing the result thereof 
and the amount of the fine collected, if any, and the dis- 
position thereof to the State Game and Fish Commis- 
sioner. 

Sec. 20. Pleading and Practice, Rules of Under This 
Chapter. — Two or more offenses may be charged in the 
same affidavit, complaint, or indictment, and proof as to 
a part of a game bird or animal shall be sufficient to sus- 
tain a charge of the whole of it ; and the violation as to a 
number of animals or birds of the same kind may be 
charged in the same count and punished as a separate 
offence as to each animal, bird, or game. 

Sec. 21. Costs of Prosecution, How Taxed. — When an 
arrest for a violation of the game law is made by the 
State Game and Fish Commissioner, or by any warden, 
and the defendant is convicted, there shall be taxed as 
costs in favor of such warden making the arrest the same 
fee as a constable is entitled to in misdemeanor cases, 
and if collected from the defendant, shall be paid over 
to such warden, and shall be his personal prequisite. No 
fee shall be allowed in cases of acquittal. 

Sec. 22. All moneys collected from fines, penalties or 
forfeitures under this law shall go into the fine and for- 
feiture fund of the County where such convictions are 
had, and the County Commissioners of such County shall 
pay to the witnesses furnishing the evidence in such con- 
victions an amount equal to one-half of such fine or pen- 
alty which shall be paid by warrant upon the fine and 
forfeiture fund of such County. 

Sec. 23. Fines To be Paid in Currency. — All fines im- 
posed under the provisions of this Chapter shall be paid 
in lawful money, that is to say, in currency of United 
States of America. 

Sec. 24. Judge's Special Charges as to Game Laws. — 
The Circuit .Judges and the Judges of concurrent juris- 
diction shall give the grand juries when organized the 



10 



provisions of the Game and Fish Lav/s strictly in charge 
and shall urge strict inquiry into infractions thereof. 

Sec. 25. Terms Defined. — As used in the Game Laws 
of this State, unless otherwise specially restricted or en- 
larged, the words "herein" or "hereof" refer to the whole 
of the game laws of this law, and the words "person," 
"owner," "proprietor," "grantee," "lessee," or "licensee," 
include a firm, association, corporation or municipality, 
and the word "warden" means the State Game and Fish 
Commissioner, County Game Warden, and Deputy Game 
Warden, provided for in the game laws. The word "of- 
ficers" includes every person authorized to enforce the 
provisions of the game laws, and whenever the possession, 
use, importation, transportation, storage, sale, offering, 
or exposing for sale of game birds is prohibited or re- 
stricted, the prohibition or restriction shall extend to 
and include every part of such game, and a violation as 
to each animal or bird or part thereof shall be a separate 
offense. 

Sec. 26. Extent and Construction of Game Laws — 
The provisions of the game laws shall not apply to per- 
sons hunting any of the birds or animals of this State 
which are not protected by the provisions of such laws. 

Sec. 26y 2 . Any person convicted by the courts under 
the provisions of this Act who fails to pay the fines im- 
posed herein, shall be imprisoned as for a misdemeanor. 

Sec. 27. All general and local laws, and parts of gen- 
eral laws, in conflict with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed. 

Became a law without the approval of the Governor. 



CHAPTER 6535— (No. 115). 

AN ACT Creating a Department of Game and Fish of 
the State of Florida and Creating the Office of State 
Game and Fish Commissioner. 



17 
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 

Section 1. The Department of Game and Fish of the 
State of Florida is hereby established, and shall be known 
and termed as such. The office of State Game and Fish 
Commissioner is hereby established and it shall be the 
duty of the Governor immediately upon the passage of 
this Act to appoint a State Game and Fish Commissioner, 
who shall hold office from September 1st, 1913, and until 
his successor is appointed and qualified. His successor 
shall be appointed during the last ten days of April, 1915, 
and every two years thereafter and shall assume the 
duties of the office on the first day of June next following. 

Sec. 2. Salary and Expenses of State Commissioner. — 
The State Game and Fish Commissioner shall receive the 
sum of twenty-five hundred dollars per annum as his sal- 
ary, and he shall be allowed a maximum of five hundred 
dollars per annum for actual expenses in traveling over 
the State in the discharge of the duties of his office, said 
traveling expenses to be set forth in itemized statement 
under oath to the Governor, and both the salary and 
traveling expenses shall be payable monthly out of the 
Game and Fish Protection Fund in the same manner as 
other State officers are paid. 

Sec. 3. Office of State Commissioner. — The State 
Game and Fish Commissioner shall be provided with a 
suitable office in the State capitol, or may, with approval 
of the Governor, have his office elsewhere in the State, 
and upon the approval of the Governor, may employ a 
clerk when necessary. 

Sec. 4. Before entering upon the discharge of his of- 
ficial duties, the State Game and Fish Commissioner shall 
give bond in the sum of five thousand dollars to the State 
of Florida, with two or more sureties, to be approved by 
the Secretary of State, conditioned that he will well and 
truly account for and apply all moneys which may come 
into his hands in his official capacity, and that he will 

2 Game 



18 



faithfully perform the duties enjoined on him by law, 
and he shall also take and subscribe the oath or affirma- 
tion required by the Constitution of the State, and be 
commissioned by the Secretary of State. 

Sec. 5. The State Game and Fish Commissioner shall 
keep a seal of office, which shall be used to authenticate 
all papers and documents issued and executed by him as 
such officer. 

Sec. 6. At the end of each calendar month, said Game 
and Fish Commissioner shall file with the Governor an 
itemized statement under oath of all sums of money re- 
ceived or expended by him in the discharge of his official 
duty, including clerical services, salaries and expenses 
while traveling under special order as herein provided, 
postage, stationery, and other necessary incidental ex- 
penses; such clerk shall receive $2.00 per day while en- 
gaged in such service. 

Sec. 7. Upon the approval of such accounts by the 
Governor, the Comptroller shall draw his warrant for 
such amount, which shall be paid monthly our of the 
Game and Fish protection fund. 

Sec. 8. The office and accounts of the State Game 
and Fish Commissioner shall be audited by the direc- 
tion of the Governor in the same manner as the office 
and accounts of other State officers are audited. 

Sec. 9. In the month of March, in the year 1914, and 
during the month of March of every year thereafter, the 
State Game and Fish Commissioner shall make a report 
to the Governor showing the official business transacted 
by him. Such report shall show the number of hunter's 
licenses issued, together with all fees collected. It shall 
show what moneys have been received by the Game and 
Fish department from fees and other sources. It shall 
show the number of wardens employed under special 
instructions, and shall give all necessary information 
concerning the affairs of the department of game and 
fish. Such reports to be published in pamphlet form. 



19 



Sec. 10. The State Game and Fish Commissioner 
shall enforce all laws now enacted or that may be enacted 
for the protection, propagation and preservation of 
game animals, birds and fish in this State, and 
shall prosecute all persons who violate such law; 
and he shall at any and all times seize any and all 
birds, animals, and fish that have been caught or killed 
at any time, in a manner, or for a purpose, or in pos- 
session, or which have been shipped, contrary to the 
Game laws of this State. 

Sec. 11. The blanks and other printed matter neces- 
sary to carry out the provisions of the Game laws, 
upon the approval by the Governor, shall be printed under 
the direction of the State Game and Fish Commissioner, 
and shall be paid for in like manner and upon the same 
terms as other public printing. This expense shall be 
chargeable to the first money covered into the Game and 
Fish Protection Fund. 

Sec. 12. The State Game and Fish Commissioner, by 
and with the consent of the Governor, shall publish in 
pamphlet form for general distribution, the laws relat- 
ing to Game, birds and fish. 

Sec. 13. The State Game and Fish Commissioner and 
his deputies may serve criminal process as sheriffs and 
constables, or may arrest without warrant any person 
or persons violating the Game and Fish laws of this 
State. 

Sec. 14. The State Game and Fish Commissioner shall 
appoint, by and with the consent and approval by the 
Governor, Game and Fish Wardens in each County in 
this State and such persons so appointed shall be known 
as County Game and Fish Wardens, and shall hold 
office for the term of the State Game and Fish Commis- 
sioner appointing them, and until their successors are 
duly appointed. 

Sec. 15. The County wardens shall assist the State 
Game and Fish Commissioner in the discharge of his 



20 

official duties, and said warden shall have like power 
and authority as is provided in this Chapter for the 
State Game and Fish Commissioner, relative to the en- 
forcement of this law. 

Sec. 16. Said deputies and wardens shall be subject 
to the supervision and direction of the State Game and 
Fish Commissioner, and subject to removal for cause 
by him. 

Sec. 17. Before entering upon the discharge of their 
official duties, each County Game and Fish Warden 
shall give bond in the sum of $500.00, payable to the 
State of Florida, with two or more sureties to be ap- 
proved of by the Local Board of County Commissioners 
conditioned that he will well and truly account for and 
legally, apply all moneys which may come into his hand 
in his official capacity, and that he will faithfully per- 
form all the duties enjoined upon him by law. 

Sec. 18. All Sheriffs, Deputy Sheriffs, Marshals, Con- 
stables, and Policemen, or other peace officers of this 
Slate, are exofficio deputy game and fish wardens. 

Sec. 19. Game and Fish Wardens acting under spe- 
cial instructions shall receive $3.00 per day for their 
services. 

Sec. 20. The Game and Fish Wardens shall, while in 
and about the woods, caution all sportsmen of the danger 
from fires and extinguish all fires left burning by anyone 
if within their power, and shall give notice to any and 
all persons interested, when possible, of fires raging be- 
yond their control, to the end that same may be extin- 
guished. 

Sec. 21. Each County Warden shall receive an amount 
equal to one-fourth of all fines and penalties collected in 
the County in which he holds office, imposed for violation 
of any game and fish laws of this State where he does not 
furnish the evidence necessary to convict; and in all 
cases in which the County Warden furnished the evidence 
to convict, he shall receive an amount equal to three- 



21 



fourths of all fines and penalties collected in the County 
in which he holds office, imposed for violation of any 
game and fish laws of this State. Said sums of money 
shall be paid out of the fine and forfeiture funds of such 
County by warrant to be issued by the Board of County 
Commissioners of such County. 

Sec. 22. Certificates may be granted by the State 
Game and Fish Commissioner, upon the payment of $1.00 
to defray the necessary expenses attending the granting 
of such certificates, to any properly accredited person, 
permitting the holder thereof to collect birds, their nest 
or eggs, for strictly scientific purposes only. In order 
to obtain such certificates the applicant for the same 
must present to the State Game and Fish Commissioner 
written testimonials from two well known ornithologists, 
one of whom shall be a resident of this State, certifying 
to the good character and fitness of said applicant to 
be entrusted with such privileges, such certificates shall 
expire on the 31st day of December of the year in which 
it is issued. 

Sec. 23. The State Game and Fish Commissioner, 
upon the payment of $1.00, may issue permits to any per- 
son to take, capture, or transport not more than ten 
pairs of any one species of game, birds, or fish within 
or without this State, when satisfied that such persons 
applying for said permit desires the same exclusively for 
scientific or propagating purposes. 

Sec. 24. All licenses shall be dated when issued, and 
when issued in the open season shall authorize the per- 
son named therein to hunt during the remainder of the 
then open season, and when license is issued in the closed 
season, the person named therein shall be authorized to 
hunt only during the open season next following, and 
then only within the regulations and restrictions provided 
by law. All hunting licenses shall be numbered consecu- 
tively at the time they are printed, and resident and non- 
resident blanks shall be of distinctive colors and shall 



22 



be furnished by the State Game aiid Fish Commissioner 
to the Probate Judges of the various Counties. All 
licenses shall have a synopsis of the Game Laws printed 
on the back thereof. 

Sec. 25. Any person who has been a bona fide resi- 
dent of this State for one year then passed, may procure 
a County hunter's license for himself or herself by filing 
his or her affidavit with the County Judge in the County 
in which he or she resides, stating his or her age, place 
of residence, postoffice address, color, color of his or her 
hair and eyes, and the fact whether he or she can write 
his or her name, and by paying the said County Judge 
the sum of $1.00. 

Sec. 26. Any person who has been a bona fide resident 
of the State for one year then passed may procure a Sta te 
hunter's license for himself or herself by filing with the 
County Judge of the County to whom he or she applies 
for license the affidavit provided by the preceding sec- 
tions, and by paying to the said Probate Judge the sum 
of $3.00 which shall entitle him or her to a State hunter's 
license, and shall authorize him or her to hunt in any 
County in this State. 

Sec. 27. Any non-resident or alien of this State may 
procure a license for hunting by filing his or her affidavit 
with the County Judge of any County in this State in 
which he or she desires to hunt, stating his or her age, 
place of residence, postoffice address, color, color of eyes, 
and hair, and the facts whether he or she can write his 
or her name and by paying to the said Judge the sum 
of $15.00 which shall entitle him or her to a hunter's 
license to be known as a non-resident hunter's license, 
which shall authorize him or her to hunt only in the 
County in which the same is issued. 

Sec. 28. The County Judge shall issue all hunting 
licenses, resident and non-resident, under the seal of his 
office, to all persons complying with the provisions of 
this chapter, and shall sign the same and shall require 



23 



the person to whom the license is issued to sign his or 
her name on the margin thereof. He shall keep a cor- 
rect and complete record of all licenses issued in a book 
to be furnished by the State Game and Fish Commis- 
sioner, which record shall remain in his office and be 
open to the inspection of the public at all reasonable 
times. 

Sec. 29. County Judges shall retain of the money re- 
ceived of each license issued the sum of $.25, which shall 
cover the swearing of the applicant to the affidavit re- 
ferred to in this chapter and all other services under this 
chapter, and shall pay the County game warden $.25 for 
each County license and $.50 for each State license and 
$3.00 for each non-resident license issued and shall pay 
the balance to the State Treasurer on the first day of 
each month, which amount shall be covered into the Game 
and Fish Protection Fund, and said County Judges shall 
report to the State Game and Fish Commissioner on the 
first day of each month the number of licenses issued, 
and the amount of money remitted to the State Treasurer. 

Sec. 30. All owners and landlords and members of 
their families may hunt upon their land without license; 
and tenants and members of their families may hunt 
upon the lease holds without license. 

Sec. 31. The State Game and Fish Commissioner 
shall deliver to each County Judge in the State ten days 
before the first day of November in each year, as many 
licenses as may be required, and shall charge said County 
Judge with the number issued to him. On the first day 
of March in each year, and Avithin ten days thereafter, 
each County Judge shall return to the State Game and 
Fish Commissioner, all unused licenses and stubs of the 
licenses issued. 

Sec. 32. All moneys sent to the State Treasurer in 
payment of hunting licenses, fines, penalties, and for- 
feitures arising from the Game Laws of this State, shall 
be set aside by the State Treasurer and shall constitute 



24 



a fund known as the Game Fish Protection Fund for the 
payment of the salary of the State Game and Fish Com- 
missioner and his necessary incidental expenses as herein- 
before provided. Also the payment of the expenses of the 
Game and Fish Wardens when acting under special in- 
structions. The expenses incurred for any purpose or in 
consequence of this Chapter shall be limited to the 
amount of money in the Game and Fish Protection Fund, 
and in no event shall the State pay any such salary or 
expenses, or be liable in any manner therefor, except to 
the extent of such Game and Fish Protection Fund, and 
the State Comptroller shall not issue any voucher for any 
services or expenses of any kind, unless the money to 
pay such voucher shall at the time be on hand in the 
State Treasury to the credit of the Game and Fish Pro- 
tection Fund. 

Sec. 33. On the first day of March, 1914, and on the 
first day of March each year thereafter, all funds, in 
excess of $5,000.00, in the Game and Fish Protection 
Fund, shall be transferred and paid into the State School 
Fund. 

Sec. ."U. This law shall take effect immediately upon 
its passage and approval by the Governor. 

Sec. 35. All laws or parts of laws in conflict with this 
law are hereby repealed. 

Became a law without the approval of the Governor. 



OWNERSHIP OF FISH NOT FIXED. 

It will be seen by the preceding chapters that while no 
revenue comes to this Department from the daily slaugh- 
tering of fish it falls upon this Department as a duty to 
enforce the Fish Laws, which, if properly done, will 
incur almost unlimited expense. In my opinion the value 
of the fish to the State warrants this necessary expense 



25 



for protection, and the State can easily realize a sufficient 
revenue from the fishing industry to enforce the Fish 
Laws and besides give a large NET revenue to the SWf-. 

It will be seen by Section 1 of Chapter 6534, that the 
ownership of all wild birds and game in the State are 
vested in the State of Florida for "protection," and regu- 
lating the use and disposition of the same in accordance 
with the laws of the State. Nothing is said regarding 
the OWNERSHIP OF FISH. In Section 3 of the 
same Chapter is denominated game birds. Chapter 6535 
fixes the manner in which the State can dispose of those 
denominated. While Chapter 6534 names the Game 
Birds and fixes the disposition of same it does not name 
the Game animals nor does it fix the disposition of them. 
Both chapters above referred to fix the regulations for 
some certain birds and some certain animals to be killed 
at certain times, but there is no provision for the killing 
or disposition of the animals and birds not named in 
those two chapters. Therefore it is causing a great deal 
of confusion as to whether the animals or birds not 
named in those chapters can or can not be killed at any 
time of the year AND WITHOUT HUNTER'S LICENSE. 
It is my opinion that the Legislature intended that all 
the Game and Birds not denominated in those chapters 
could be killed at any time without Hunter's License, 
but the question is not clearly answered in those chapters, 
neither do those chapters repeal chapters 3759 and 3761 
of 1905 and 1906, which protect nearly every known 
species of birds in the State. 

The sections referred to are as follows : 

3759. Protection of Birds, Their Eggs and Nests. — No 
person shall within the State of Florida kill or catch or 
have in his possession, living or dead, any wild bird other 
than a game bird, nor shall purchase, offer or expose for 
sale any such wild bird after it has been killed or caught. 
No part of the plumage, skin or body of any bird pro- 
tected by this section shall be sold or had in possession 



26 



for sale. For the purpose of this Act, the following shall 
be considered game birds : The Anatidae, commonly 
known as swans, geese, brant, and river and sea ducks; 
the Rallidae, commonly known as rails, coots, mud-hens, 
and gallinules; the Semicolae, commonly known as shore 
birds, plovers, surf birds, snipe, woodcock, sand-pipers, 
tatlers and curlews; the Gallinae, commonly known as 
wild turkeys, grouse, prairie chickens, pheasants, par- 
tridges and quails; also turtle doves, tame and wild 
pigeons and robins. No person shall within the State of 
Florida take or needlessly destroy the nests or eggs of 
any wild bird, nor shall have such nests or eggs in his 
or her possession. Any person violating the provisions of 
this section shall be liable to a fine of five dollars for 
each bird, living or dead, or part of bird, or nest and 
eggs possesed in violation of this section, or to imprison- 
ment for ten days. 



3761. Birds Xot Included in Preceding Sections. — The 
English sparrow, sharp-skinned hawk (commonly known 
as the little blue darter), cooper's hawk (commonly 
known as the big blue darter), great horned owl, crow, 
ricebird, meadowlark, jackdaw and butcher-bird are not 
included among the birds protected by the two preceding 
sections. Nothing in said sections shall prevent any citi- 
zen of the State of Florida from destroying birds which 
are found injuring grapes, fruits, garden or farm prod- 
ucts on his premises, or from taking and keeping in a 
cage any cardinal red-bird or mocking-bird for his own 
pleasure or amusement; Provided, That same shall not 
be sold or shipped out of the State. 

Section 26 of Chapter 6534 states that the provision of 
the game laws shall not apply to persons hunting any of 
the birds and animals of this State which are not pro- 
tected by the provisions of such laws, but Chapters 3759 
and 3761 have never been repealed by actual intent of the 
Legislature, and they protect as stated before nearly every 



27 



known species of birds in the State. Why should not 
practically all of the birds be protected? Why should 
not practically all the animals be protected? It is esti- 
mated that the birds of Massachusetts devour 21,000 
bushels of insects in one day, and in Nebraska 170 car- 
loads each day, and that the sparrows alone of Iowa eat 
875 tons of weed seeds annually. 

PROTECTION OF ALL WILD ANIMALS. 

I see the importance to the State that all wild animals 
be protected and none killed except at fixed seasons and 
by hunters with Hunter's Licenses. Within another five 
to ten years a pair of our foxes will sell at from $100.00 
to $200.00. They have no protection now. The skunk 
(polecat) at not a distant date will also bring a haml- 
some price, but they neither have protection now. 

DATES OF OPEN SEASON ARE WRONG. 

I am not assuming the position of knowing the natural 
life of Game, Birds and Fish, but from the meager in- 
formation which I have been able to gather it appears 
to me that the open season fixed by Chapters 6534 and 
6535 for killing Game and Birds and nearly all laws 
pertaining to catching fish are contrary to the laws of 
nature. Provision should have been made for obtaining 
data necessary to ascertain when Game, Birds and Fish 
can be killed not to interfere with the mating seasons and 
not to destroy them during the period of breeding. 

DATES CONFLICT. 

Again referring to Chapter 6534, it will be seen by Sec- 
tions 4 and 0. that the open season for killing game- 
birds and deer was fixed BETWEEN the date of Febru- 
ary 20th and November 20th following, which does not 
include those dates, but Section 10 fixes the open season 



28 



for killing squirrels FROM AND INCLUDING Novem- 
ber 20th TO AND INCLUDING February 20th follow- 
ing, making the season for killing game-birds and deer 
open one day later and close one day earlier than the 
season for killing squirrels, when, as a matter of fact, the 
natural presumption is it was intended the season should 
be the same. 

ENFORCING FISH LAWS. 

Again, as to the provisions made for enforcing the 
Fish Laws. Public opinion does not DECRY the viola- 
tions of such laws, but on the contrary, UPHOLDS them. 
This is a fact Well worth mentioning as it is calculated 
to make the officers of the State slow to rigidly enforce 
the laws. There is no moral turpitude attached to viola- 
tions of laws protecting the existence of animals, birds 
and fish, and this condition will exist to a certain extent 
until civilization and education wipes it out, during 
which time, there must be provisions, and enforcement of 
the laws to aid growing civilization to do this work. It 
is true the Legislature did not know, nor could not guess 
the amount of revenue that would be realized from the 
enactment of the law creating this Department, but 
surely they will readily see now that the compensation 
fixed for the Wardens in Chapter G535 for their services 
in enforcing the laws is not sufficient to warrant them to 
take an active interest in protecting the existence of the 
Game, Birds and Fish, or to give the work sufficient study 
to create within themselves or others the proper interest 
to the extent of realizing the value as an asset to the 
State, of the Game, Birds and Fish. There was not even 
an appropriation for the opening of an office or for 
expenses of operating this Department until hunting 
licenses were put on the market and sold, and at stated 
before, not sufficient provison then to do things that need 
to be done, which, if done, would result in the strictest 
enforcement of the present laws. 



29 

CRITICISMS FOR NOT COMPLYING STRICTLY TO 
THE LAW. 

THE CRITIC. 

;'It is easy to sit in the sunshine 

And talk to the man in the shade; 
It is easy to float in a well-trimmed boat 

And point out the places to wade. 

It is easy to sit in your carriage 

And counsel the man on foot ; 
But get down and walk, and you'll change your talk 

As you feel the nail in your boot. , 

It is easy to tell the toiler 

How best he can carry his pack ; 
But no one can rate a burden's weight 

Until it has been on his back. 

The upcurled mouth of pleasure 

Can preach of sorrow's worth ; 
But give it a sip, and a wryer lip 

Was never made on earth." 

— Selected. 

I have been more or less criticised by people who do 
not know the difficulties which existed in handling this 
Department for the first few months. Chapter 6535 pro- 
vides that the Commissioner should take office Septem- 
ber 1st, 1913, which I did, but it did not provide one 
dollar operating expenses upon which to begin work. 
Certain sections of that chapter provide that applicants 
for Hunter's Licenses shall make a statement UNDER 
OATH in applying for same. To make a statement UN- 
DER OATH it is necessary, of course, to appear before 
an officer authorized to take oaths. That chapter pro- 



30 



vides also that the open season for hunting would begin 
November 20th, 1913, which gave the Commissioner only 
about eighty days before the hunting season opened in 
which to get all printed matter such as books for the 
County Judges, Application Blanks and necessary adver- 
tising printed and distributed and sell licenses before the 
season opened. In having Application Blanks printed I 
omitted having the oath except in such cases where the 
County Judges absolutely required it and in pleading 
guilty for not complying strictly to the law I will say 
that if I had conformed strictly to the law there would 
not have been more than 25% of the Hunter's Licenses 
sold as were sold under that plan. In some counties at 
first the County Judges required the applicant to appear 
personally before them to make application for Hunter's 
License, but I finally obtained adjustment on this. An- 
other instance where I did not conform strictly to the 
law is that in some cases county residents thought and so 
did some of the County Judges, that the applicant could 
buy a County License in his resident county and in event 
he decided to hunt in some other county, go into the 
other county and there buy another County License per- 
mitting him to hunt in that county, which, of course, is 
contrary to the laws. It necessitated therefore, in justice 
to the applicant, an exchange of the County License first 
issued to him for a State License permitting him to hunt 
anywhere in the State, and" in such cases I requested the 
County Judges where the first license had not been re- 
ported to this Department and remitted for to the State 
Treasurer, to make the necessary exchange, collecting the 
difference in the amount paid for the County License 
and the fee charged for the State License. I later ad- 
vised the County Judges to make no more exchanges, as 
I soon saw it might cause complications in their accounts 
and statements, as well as requiring a County Judge's 
fee for each of the licenses issued, which, of course, is 
incorrect from a practical standpoint. 



31 



In this connection I wish to say that it is absolutely 
unnecessary to require an applicant to make application 
for Hunter's License UNDER OATH. In the first place, 
where time permits, most of the applicants apply person- 
ally to the County Judge, who issues the license, and the 
County Judges are too busy with their other work to 
take up the time necessary with the applicant to take 
his application UNDER OATH, make the proper entries 
upon his books, records, etc. I have received a great 
many complaints from the County Judges as to the small 
fee allowed them for the work, which in my opinion is not 
sufficient. If the oath be omitted from the applications 
it will eliminate great inconvenience to the applicants 
who would remain bound under Section 14 of Chapter 
6534, which reads as follows : 

"False Statement as to Procuring License. — Any per- 
son who shall make to any officer authorized to issue a 
Hunting License a false statement, or change or alter his 
or her license in any manner, shall be punished by a fine 
of not less than ten, or more than twenty-five dollars." 

In my opinion the fine in such a case should be fixed at 
not less than $100 or more than $500, which would give 
better protection. 

RECEIPTS OF 1914-15 COMPARED WITH THAT 
OF 1913-14. 

It is an evident fact that public interest is increasing 
daily as to protection of Game, Fish and Birds, and 
respect to the Game and Fish Laws, and the receipts from 
the sale of licenses for the season of 1914-15 should almost 
double that of the past and first season, the only obstruc- 
tion to this in my opinion, can be that the requirement 
whereby the applications are to be signed under oath. 

Florida is noted for its Wild Game, Birds and Fish, 
and while some species of game and birds are almost 



32 



extinct, there yet remains a bountiful supply to bona-fide 
hunters. The most common of our wild game is Deer, 
and with the exception of about two or three counties, 
one can be seen occasionally. Twenty to thirty years ago 
they were found in herds like cattle. Squirrels, while 
not so plentiful as a few years ago, we have a good many 
left yet. We have in a good many sections of Florida 
good Bear hunting. Our entire State is more or less in- 
habited with wild animals whieh give good sport for 
hunters, such as the Fox, Raccoon, Black Bear, Wild 
Cat, Catamount, Tigers. Panthers, etc. Our most common 
game bird is the Quail (Bob- White). While not so plen- 
tiful as a few years ago, they can be found in every county 
in the State. We also have plenty of Doves in the winter 
as also Ducks and other water fowls, and different species 
of pond birds, including the Ironheads, Curlews, Herons 
and Cranes. Wild Turkey are numerous in some sections 
of the State, and while several years ago they were plen- 
tiful in every county, now in some sections the supply 
is depleted. Dr. W. F. Blackman of the Audubon Socie- 
ties has recently made a trip into Lee County. He writes 
that to his surprise 55 species of our most common birds 
were not seen at all, yet he did see about 57 species of 
birds in that county. This is worthy of note, as it evi- 
dences depletion. 

THE EGRET. 

1 have been greatly criticised by some of the members 
of the Audubon Societies and other for not endeavoring 
to enforce the laws pertaining to the plumes of Egrets 
as well as the destruction of these birds in this State. 
I have been told in a good many instances that it was 
my duty to instruct the County Wardens to arrest and 
punish any person wearing the aigrettes from these birds. 
This, of course, is contrary to the meaning of the law. 
These birds are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird 
Law and are intended to be protected under the General 



33 



Laws of this State, but they are not specifically named. 
I have, however, recently issued instructions for the 
arrest of persons in this State who are selling and offer- 
ing for sale the aigrettes from these birds, with the hop? 
that the results will satisfy the minds of those who are 
severely criticising me. I have been further criticised 
from practically the same sources for not arresting and 
prosecuting those who have in their possession any wild 
birds of this State which are protected. The purpose of 
protection of certain birds was to prevent the destruction 
of them, but the law provides that anyone might have 
any wild bird in their possession for amusement. I have, 
therefore, declined to make arrests in such instances. 

FORM OF STATEMENT BLANKS THAT SHOULD 
BE USED BY COUNTY JUDGES REPORT- 
ING TO THIS DEPARTMENT. 

The law requires that on the first day of each mouth 
each County Judge shall report to the State Game and 
Fish Commissioner the number of licenses sold, etc., 
remitting to the State Treasurer the net amount due for 
the same. I immediately planned when I entered upon 
The duties of the ottiee, a form of statement and had 
printed and furnished to the County Judges, which will 
be found on another page herein and by reference to 
which it will be seen that it gives the date the license is 
issued, name of applicant, his color, postofiice address, 
the fee charged for the license, Judge's Fee, Warden's 
Fee, and the amount remitted to the Treasurer. The 
meaning of the law, if questioned technically, does not 
require that the County Judges furnish me with such 
report, but the necessity of such a report is apparent 
and as you know has been a saving to the State in the 
first season of about $400.00, as I have kept you apprised 
of the nature of my correspondence with the County 
Judges regarding this. 

3 Game 



34 



As stated before, some of the County Judges have been 
under the impression that a county resident could buy a 
County License in his county and should he desire to hunt 
enter some other county and purchase a County License 
in that county, and in a good many counties of the State, 
Hunter's Licenses have been issued in this way. For in- 
stance, four residents of this city (Jacksonville), among 
the most prominent of the State, went into Bradford 
County and purchased County License for that county 
and hunted. Had the County Judge not furnished me 
with the statement above referred to I would have never 
known the residence of those applicants, but in examin- 
ing the statement and knowing all of them personally I 
immediately discovered that they had hunted upon a 
County License in Bradford County, and being residents 
of Duval County, should have had a State License, and 
I immediately took it up with them, collecting the dif- 
ference in the fee from each of them. This condition ex- 
isted in some counties which was not corrected from the 
fact that I did not discover early enough to make the 
correction without fear of complications, and the atten- 
tion of the County Judges have been called to it which 
will prevent such a condition in the future. Again, some 
of the County Judges take the position that a Winter 
resident who spends his Winters in the State and his 
Summers North (tourists), are entitled to a State License 
and should be termed as bona fide residents of the State, 
especially so where they own property. This is contrary 
to the law and should be corrected. 

GENERAL FINANCIAL REPORT. 

A general and full report of sale of Licenses is given 
on another page herein and is about the only form wfiich 
could be used to give such information as would satisfy 
the public. There is also given other statements for in- 
formation and I desire to call special attention to the 



:;.) 



statement showing receipts and disbursements of 'his 
Department. I would not at all certify under oath that 
this statement is correct from the fact that no remit 
tances are made directly to me and the only information 
I have to go by in making this statement is the monthly 
reports received from the County Judges, which are not 
made under oath. • 



36 



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38 



BOND OF STATE GAME AND FISH COMMIS- 
SIONER. 

The law provides that the State Game and Fish Com- 
missioner shall furnish bond in the sum of $5,000.00 aud 
all remittances be made direct to the State Treasurer on 
the first of each month by the County Judges, who issue 
and collect for Hunter's Licenses sold in their respective 
counties, while the bond for the County Judges who 
handle all the money is fixed at a minimum of $1,000.00 
and a maximum of $5,000.00. This is inconsistent and in 
my opinion the bond of the County Judges should be 
from $3,000.00 to $10,000.00 each, provided the law re- 
mains as it is at present regarding the issuance of 
licenses by them. 

REPORTS OF VIOLATIONS, ARRESTS, ETC. 

In making the report of violations, arrests and results 
of the same I have given notice of a number of arrests 
made since February 28th, for information only. There 
are at this time a number of violators of the Game and 
Fish Laws under arrest awaiting trial and which are not 
mentioned in this statement. 



39 



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J u 

THE STATE CONSTABULARY. 

In as much as sufficient provision was not made as 
to compensating the Wardens for active and regular 
work, there should have been a provision specially fixing 
the duties of the Sheriffs, Deputy Sheriffs and Constables 
to assist in the enforcement of the Game and Fish Laws. 
As it is, however, the entire constabulary of the State 
seem to think that the entire responsibility of enforcing 
the Game and Fish Laws rests with the State Game and 
Fish Commissioner and the County Wardens, and that 
they are relieved of any responsibility of the same absol- 
utely. This condition applies to nearly all the counties 
in the State. Generally court officials such as Justices 
of the Peace, County Judges, Criminal Court Judges and 
Prosecuting Attorneys are very slow in giving this De- 
partment proper co-operation, although they have ren- 
dered to some extent valuable aid. Arrests have been 
made and the violators convicted but in a great many 
instances nominal fines placed upon the violators. In 
fact in some cases about half of what the law fixes the 
fine, and in a good many cases, sentences suspended. I 
r/esire to thank these officials for such services as they 
have given me, in the enforcement of the law, and I 
hope, since receiving your advices that these officials are 
supposed to and should co-operate in the enforcement oi 
these laws the same as all other criminal laws, to get 
even more assistance from them than I have been able to 
get in the past. In most counties the officials will not 
prosecute unless the violator is arrested under issuance 
of a warrant and commitment by a Justice of the Peace, 
and in most cases not then until the Warden gives bond 
or arranges satisfactory to them for the Court costs. 
This is contrary to the intent of the law. By investiga- 
tion, it will be seen that I have endeavored to get a class 
of men for Wardens, who are not seeking to prosecute 
without violations, and unless thev can obtain diligent 



45 

services of the Court officials they cannot enforce the 
laws. 

NO REVENUE FROM PISHING. 

Again referring to the revenue from fishing. As stated 
before, the fish of the State is one of its most valuable 
assets and food products and they are being caught and 
shipped by thousands of tons almost daily, free of revenue 
to the State. The fish within the State's borders should 
be owned by the State the same as its animals and birds 
and revenue should be given the State for their destruc- 
tion, regardless of protection, but with the revenue from 
destruction, proper protection could be given. Can the 
reader imagine what it would mean to the State of Flor- 
ida if all the fishing within the State's borders was stop- 
ped for five or ten years? Florida with its more than 
1600 miles of seacoast saying nothing of its thousands of 
miles of rivers and millions of acres of lakes, could fur- 
nish the fish food to the teeming millions of this country 
for years. In the State of California, I am informed, that 
a license fee is charged for fishing even with a hook and 
line and that the State owns all the hooks and lines used 
and the uses of them are charged for and included in the 
license fee. 

OFFICE EXPENSES UP TO AND INCLUDING 
FEBRUARY 28TH, 1914. 

Clerical Work $ 335.50 

Extra Office Help 130.25 

Office Supplies and Fixtures 136.78 

Telegrams 31.29 

Postage 171.12 

Express 22.11 

Traveling Expenses 84.30 

Salary as Commissioner 1,250.01 

Printing >... 1,020.90 

Total 13,182.26 



46 



RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS UP TO AND 

INCLUDING FEBRUARY 28TH, 1914. 

County. Amount. 

Alachua f 2,034.00 

Baker 116.00 

Bradford 393.00 

Bay 297.00 

Brevard 1,511.00 

Calhoun 224.00 

Columbia 289.00 

Clay 792.00 

Citrus 1,111.00 

Duval 2,989.00 

Dade 280.00 

DeSoto 1,482.00 

Escambia 1,314.00 

Franklin 316.00 

Gadisden 597100 

Hillsboro 3,222.00 

Holmes 418.00 

Hamilton 215.00 

Hernando 635.00 

Jackson 632.00 

Jefferson 1,266.00 

Lake 1,987.00 

Lee 1,625.00 

Liberty 294.00 

Leon 1,885.00 

Levy 620.00 

Lafayette 215.00 

Manatee 1,216.00 

Monroe 52.00 

Madison 293.00 

Marion 1,899.00 

Nassau 216.00 

Orange 1,586.00 

Osceola 972.00 



County. Amount. 

Polk 2.411.00 

Pasco 707.00 

Pinellas 921.00 

Palm Beach 622.00 

Putnam 850.25 

St. Johns 793.00 

Santa Rosa 251.00 

Suwannee 136.00 

Seminole 789.00 

Sumter 378.00 

St. Lucie 551.00 

Taylor 312.00 

Volusia 2,135.00 

Walton 829.00 

Washington 328.00 

Wakulla 494.00 



Receipts from sale of licenses. f 45.800.25 
Receipts from sale of permits. . 14.00 



Total receipts $45,814.25 

DISBURSEMENTS. 

Office Expenses, up to and includ- 
ing February 28th, 1914. includ- 
ing salaries $ 3,182.26 

Wardens' Fees, from licenses sold. 9,102.25 

Judges' Fees, from licenses sold... 5.692.50 

Special Duty Services 589.65 

Secret Service Work 71.50 

Court Costs 39.45 $18,677.61 



Balance to the credit of Depart- 
ment $27,136.64 



4S 



AMOUNTS PAID WARDENS UNDER 'SPECIAL 
SERVICE" INSTRUCTIONS. 



County. No. of Days. Expenses. Total. 

Alachua' 16— $48.00 $23.50 $ 71.50 

Bradford 13— 39.00 19.50 58.50 

Bay 3— 9.00 3.25 12.25 

Brevard 8—24.00 7.50 31.511 

Clay 3— 9.00 9.00 

Citrus 10— 30.00 30.00 

Duval 19£— 52.00 52.00 

Dade : 3— 9.00 4.40 13.40 

Franklin 3— 9.00 4.50 13.50 

Hillsboro 8— 24.00 8.90 32.90 

Jackson 3— 9.00 4.50 L3.50 

Lake 3— 9.00 4.50 13.50 

Leon 3— 9.00 7.50 10.50 

Lee 3— 9.00 6.00 15.00 

Levy 3— 9.00 3.00 1 2.00 * 

Manatee 3— 9.00 4.50 L3.50 

Marion 3— 0.00 7.50 16.50 

Nassau 3— 9.00 3.00 12.00 

Osceola 3— 9.00 3.15 12.15 

Polk 3— 9.00 6.00 15.00 

1 'aim Beach 3— 9.00 2.20 11.20 

Putnam 11— 33.00 16.50 49.50 

St. Johns 3- 9.00 6.25 15.25 

Taylor 3— 9.00 4.50 13.50 

Volusia 6— 18.00 6.00 24.00 

Walton 3— 9.00 3.00 12.00 

Total $589.05 



49 

NO PLANTING OF FISH FOR PROPAGATION 
PROVIDED. 

There has been no provision made under the Game and 
Fish Laws of this State for the planting- of fish for propa- 
gation purposes and unless a check is made in catching 
them or more strenuous laws enacted and enforced for 
their protection, the supply, without question can not 
last very long. 

FOOD FISH NOT DEFINED. 

Again it is well known that nearly all species of fish 
caught for commercial purposes are used for food pur- 
poses and jet, while some of the species which furnish the 
larger number of fish and which are used for food, are 
not protected in the laws nor defined as food fish. If a 
fish that is caught purely and simply for commercial pur- 
poses and used for food only, is not a food fish, then in 
my opinion, food fish cannot he defined. For instance, 
there is no end to the amount of Cat Fish that are caught 
from the rivers and lakes of this State for commercial 
purposes and used absolutely for food, yet they have no 
protection whatever under the laws of the State as they 
ar< : not defined as food fish. 

DEPARTMENTS OF GAME AND FISH AND SHELL 
FISH COMMISSION. 

There is no doubt in my mind as to The value of the 
Shell Fish of this State. What I have been unable to 
see, however, is why the Shell Fish Department and this 
Department be operated separate and distinct when as a 
matter of fact the work of the two Departments could 
be made one and the same and operated at a small in- 
crease to the present expense of this Department. Those 
whose duty it would be to supervise the protection and 
disposition of Shell Fish could render most valuable ser- 

4 Game 



50 



vice to this Department without increased expense, 
efforts, or responsibility if the two departments were con- 
solidated. In my opinion the enactment and most rigid 
enforcement of more strenuous laws pertaining to the 
protection of fish is of more importance to the State 
than any other law pertaining to this Department, and 
with the consolidation of these two Departments the 
present work of protection to fish and Shell Fish now 
being done could be continued as stated before at a small 
increase of expenses to this Department. 

LEGAL ADVICE TO THE STATE GAME AND FISH 
COMMISSIONER BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL 
OF THE STATE. 

It will be seen that there are no laws requiring the 
Attorney General of the State to furnish to the Commis- 
sioner his written opinion upon any legal question that 
might arise pertaining to this Department, neither is 
there any provision for the Commissioner to employ legal 
counsel for the prosecution of the violators of the Game 
and Fish Laws or otherwise. Soon after entering upon 
the duties of this office the Attorney General practically 
declined to advise this Department, and rightfully so, as 
his advices would not have been authorative, but on the 
other hand the Attorney General has undertaken to 
advise different citizens of the State and rendered his 
opinion on certain sections of the law governing this De- 
partment which in some instances have been contrary 
to my construction of the law and my advices to the 
Wardens in enforcing the law. 

GAME AND BIRDS DESTROYED BY DOGS. 

There are numerous reasons for and ways of great 
destruction of game and birds. One of the most destruc- 
tive things to animal and bird life are the roaming or 



51 



wild dogs of the State. If an accurate count could be 
made I venture to say that there are not less than 25,000 
dogs that do not know where home is that are roaming 
the State today destroying every young animal and bird 
and bird-nest they can find. Dogs that are absolutely of 
no value on earth to anyone. Each of them is more 
destructive than a pot hunter who hunts in and out of 
season and who exceeds the bag limit every day. Laws 
should be enacted whereby these worthless and dangerous 
varmints, called dogs, should be doue away with and in- 
asmuch as the present Fish Laws do not provide suffi- 
cient revenue to the State for their enforcement, a rea- 
sonable dog tax imposed upon each dog to be paid to 
this Department would be sufficient revenue alone to 
rigidly enforce more strenuous Game and Fish Laws. 

NATUKE'S STUDY. 

The work of the Aubudon Societies of the State should 
be appreciated very much, not only by the officers of this 
Department, but by every citizen of the State. By co- 
operating with them this Department can obtain valua- 
ble assistance and information pertaining to the nature, 
protection, and value of wild life. The time is long past 
when nature study in its various phases was one of the 
so-called "fads" of the day, for in this age of progressive 
education we are coming to realize that no subject is 
more far-reaching and practical in its results than the 
subject pertaining to and covered by the study of nature. 
We believe in this day of specialization, that the con- 
centrating of forces is, after all, the important thing. 
From all of the various phases of nature study, then, 
which one shall be chosen as most worthy of special 
attention? After careful consideration I am convinced 
that we may choose the study of wild life at the head of 
the list and that the first of this is the life of the birds 
for various reasons: 1st. From an esthetic standpoint, 
for no other form of life or nature combines so much 



52 



grace, beauty and melody. 2nd. Because of the child's 
natural interest in the subject, birds, due to their active 
life which in a great measure corresponds to that of a 
child's with their home life, joys and sorrows of their 
daily work. 3rd. Because this subject trains the child's 
powers of observation, thought and accuracy and great- 
est of all, teaches the child gentleness, kindness, love and 
perfection. 

During the study and teaching of wild life, it takes 
the mind of the child or pupil, as well as the teacher, 
away from the daily thoughts and studies of life and 
sometimes will take the pupil into active and beneficial 
recreation in seeking to satisfy their interest in the actual 
existence and life of wild Game, and Birds, which is of 
great necessity to the present city or town life. 

RECOMMENDATIONS. 

To properly enforce the Game and Fish Laws for pro- 
tection, and do the things needed to be done, more funds 
must be provided for this purpose. I would therefore 
recommend : 

That the Hunting License fee be made as follows: 

County Hunter's License $ 1.50 

State Hunter's License 4.00 

Non-Resident Hunter's License for one county.... 25.00 
Non-Resident Hunter's License for entire State... 35.00 

(Of the entire number of Non-Resident Hunter's 
Licenses sold during the past season no one Non-Resident 
purchased a license for more than one county. None will 
object to paying |35.00 for the entire State.) 

That each County Warden receive from the Hunter's 
License sold as follows : 

County Hunter's License I .50 

State Hunter's License 1.00 

Non-Resident County License 4.00 

Non-Resident State License 5.00 



53 



That a State License Tax be fixed on each dog in the 
State according to its breed and value, the minimum dog 
license tax to be 50c per annum and the maximum $5.00 
{tor annum, and the payment of such taxes to be evidenced 
by a metal tag of some form to be furnished by this De- 
partment to each County Warden and said taxes shall be 
payable annually. 

That the Warden shall collect all dog taxes in his 
county and shall retain one-half of the money so collect- 
ed and shall remit the other one-half to this Department. 

That it shall be the duty of each Warden to enforce 
the license tax fixed upon dogs in his county and that 
any dog found by him without the proper tag and collar 
four months from date that the law is enacted shall be 
disposed of as the Warden sees fit, but not held in cus- 
tody by the Warden at the expense of the State. 

That the ownership of all fish in the waters of the 
State be vested in the State for protection and disposi- 
tion according to the General Laws of the State. (This 
is necessary in order to receive a revenue from the dispo- 
sition of fish and in order to rigidly enforce the fish 
laws. At present the fish are being sold by tons and the 
revenue collected from Hunter's Licenses is being partly 
spent in an effort to enforce the fish laws which do not 
give protection. If more strenuous fish laws are intro- 
duced you will readily see the amount of money and 
time that will be spent by Florida fishermen or their 
representatives, to defeat the same.) 

That Food Fish be defined and to include Cat Fish. 

That no fish shall be caught with any fixed stationery 
device whatsoever, either dynamited or shot for any pur- 
pose. 

That all Special or Local laws of the several different 
counties of the State pertaining to Game, Birds and Fish 
be repealed. 

That a fixed and high license fee be charged for fish- 
ing for commercial purposes according to the length and 



54 



size of mesh of nets used and that no fish of any species 
be caught or shipped for commercial purposes in any 
of the waters of the State smaller than 10 inches in 
length from the fork of its tail to the tip of its nose. 

That no person shall be allowed to fish for commercial 
purposes in any of the waters of the State except with 
hook and line, without first securing a fishing license to 
be issued by the County Judge under written application 
which shall set forth the purpose for which the fish are 
to be caught, description of the seine, net or device to 
be used and the said license to have printed on the back 
thereof a synopsis of the fish laws from the General 
Statutes of the State and the license shall be counter- 
signed by the State Game and Fish Commissioner, and if 
for any reason the State Game and Fish Commissioner 
refuses to sign said license the same shall be returned 
to the County Judge who issued it and in turn said 
County Judge shall return same to the applicant, to- 
gether with his application and the fee paid for the 
same, setting forth the reason given by the State Game 
and Fish Commissioner for his refusal to countersign 
same. 

That the County Warden shall receive one-half of all 
the collections made by the County Judge from the 
issuance of fishing licenses and the County Judge shall 
retain of the collection from the issuance of fishing 
licenses 25% for his fee and shall remit the other 25% 
to this Department. 

That all collections from the sale of Hunter's Licenses, 
Fishing Licenses and otherwise made by the County 
Judges shall be remitted direct to the State Game and 
Fish Commissioner between the first and fifth day of each 
month for the month prior, less the amount paid the 
Warden and retained by himself, thereby eliminating the 
possibility of complications of financial accounts between 
the County Judge, State Game and Fish Commissioner 
and the State Treasurer, and that on the 15th day of each 



oo 



month following the remittances to the State Game and 
Fish Commissioner by the County Judges, the State Game 
and Fish Commissioner shall remit to the State Treas- 
urer the amount collected by him for the previous month. 

That each County Warden be vested with authority 
to make arrests of violators of the Game and Fish Laws 
in any county of the State in order that the Wardens 
may work jointly in the enforcement of the Game and 
Fish Laws where the dividing line of two counties are 
rivers, creeks or lakes and where the exact county lines 
may not be thoroughly established in the minds of the 
Wardens. 

That the oath necessary to be made under the present 
law by the applicant for Hunter's License be eliminated, 
but that the Application Blanks shall contain a state- 
ment by the applicant similar to that now in use and 
that such statement shall be signed before two witnesses 
and in any case where a false statement is made the appli- 
cant shall be subject to prosecution. 

That fines collected from violations of the Game and 
Fish Laws shall be paid one-half to the Game and Fish 
Warden of the county in which the fine is imposed and 
the other one-half shall be paid to this Department, and 
that each county shall pay the witness fee in all cases 
of prosecution, unless the sole witness be the Game and 
Fish Warden for the county who shall receive no witness 
fee in any case. 

That each Game and Fish Warden shall be allowed the 
authority to appoint in any section of his county Deputy 
Game and Fish Wardens whose compensation shall be 
mutually fixed between the Warden and Deputy Warden 
so appointed and to be paid from the compensations 
which the Game and Fish Warden for the county receives. 

That the State Game and Fish Commissioner have 
authority to deputize any Deputy Game and Fish War- 
den to work under "Special Service" duty for the same 



56 

compensation allowed the County Game and Fish War- 
den. 

That the State Game and Fish Commissioner be vested 
with authority to expend such money as in his opinion 
is necessary for the formation and reports for correct 
information as to the natural life of wild game, birds 
and fish in this State. 

That the headquarters of the State Game and Fish 
Commissioner shall be in the City of Jacksonville, Flor- 
ida. (More people can be seen in Jacksonville from 
whom information of value to this Department may be 
had than can be in Tallahassee, thereby eliminating con- 
siderable traveling expenses.) 

That the State Game and Fish Commissioner be 
authorized and required to purchase for the use of the 
Department of Game and Fish, a suitable launch for the 
work of protecting fish and gathering information for 
the Department, the same when fully equipped to cost 
not more than f 2,500.00. (For the protection of fish a 
launch is absolutely necessary in order to go to such 
places where the main violations of the fish laws are 
being committed.) 

That the State Game and Fish Commissioner be 
authorized and required to make a complete tour or in- 
spection of all the navigable waters of the State and 
gather such information necessary and possible to the 
interest of this Department and that said tour and in- 
spection be made if possible, between July 15th, 1915, 
and October 1st, 1916, and that the State Game and Fish 
Commissioner shall be allowed the necessary expenses 
for food and otherwise and to engage the services of not 
more than one person to accompany him as his assistant 
at an expense of not more than $3.00 per day and ex- 
penses for such time actually engaged, together with his 
office stenographer and his expenses. 

That the State Game and Fish Commissioner be 
authorized to go to such expense as in his judgment is 



57 



reasonable and necessary to get and assist the Depart- 
ment of Fisheries of the United States Government to 
plant hsli in such waters of the State of Florida as the 
information obtained on his tour of inspection discloses 
a scarcity of fish and the possibility of successful plant- 
ing. 

That the State Game and Fish Commissioner be 
authorized to appoint any bona fide resident of the State 
and who is willing to serve "Special Deputy Game and 
Fish Commissioner" who shall have full authority to 
enforce the Game and Fish Laws of the State and arrest 
violators anywhere in the State of Florida, and who shall 
be allowed |3.00 per day and expenses for such time 
actually in the service of the Department. 

That the State Game and Fish Commissioner shall be 
authorized to appoint any bona fide resident of the State 
(by a complimentary commission) Honorary Deputy 
Game and Fish Commissioner, who is willing to serve 
without compensation and wiio will have authority to 
make arrests of any violators of the Game and Fish Laws. 

That the State Game and Fish Commissioner be 
authorized and requested to visit all the fisheries of the 
State of California for the purpose of securing such 
data as is possible to obtain with reference to propagat- 
ing, protection and planting of fish which will be of 
special benefit to him in the duties of his office and that 
said visit shall be made, if possible, between June 1st 
and July 1st, 1915, and that said trip shall include a trip 
to two or more fisheries of the United States Govern- 
ment. 

That the State Game and Fish Commissioner shall de- 
vote all of his time to the interest of the Department 
of Game and Fish. 

That for the convenience of the State Game and Fish 
Commissioner $1,000. 00 shall be set aside from the Game 
and Fish Protection Fund of the State to his credit as 
Game and Fish Commissioner, the same to be subject 



58 



to his check, but to remain the property of the State, and 
no part of same shall be spent by him except in actual 
expenses while performing the duties of his office and 
that all checks given on said amount shall be signed by 
him as State Game and Fish Commissioner and that he 
shall be held legally bound for the return of same to the 
Game and Fish Protection Fund of the State at the ex- 
piration of his term of office. 

That the salary of the State Game and Fish Commis- 
sioner be increased to $3,000.00 per annum and necessary 
office expenses, including a salary of $150.00 per month 
for a clerk and a maximum traveling expense account of 
$1,000.00 annually. (The allowance for traveling ex- 
penses under the present law is not sufficient for the 
Commissioner to obtain the true conditions that exist 
in the entire State. I 

That the Bond for the State Game and Fish Commis- 
sioner be increased to $25,000.00 and if a Surety Bond 
be given the premium on the same shall be chargeable 
to his expense account and be borne by the State, pro- 
vided all remittances are made to him direct. 

That the County Judge's Bond be increased. 

That $7,500.00 remain in the Game and Fish Protection 
Fund on March 1st, when the Treasurer transfers the 
balance of the net revenue from this Department to the 
General School Fund. 

That a reasonable amount of monies shall be furnish- 
ed to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction 
from the funds created by this Department for the proper 
education and teaching in the public schools of the State 
the natural life of wild <iame, birds and fish of this 
State, and that it devolve upon said Superintendent as 
a duty to furnish such data pertaining to same to each 
school as is obtainable. I There is nothing in my mind 
that will soften or sweeten a lasting disposition of a 
child more than the proper teaching of natural life.) 

That the State Game and Fish Commissioner shall be 



59 



vested with authority to assist and co-operate with the 
Aubudon Societies of the State in their work for the 
protection of wild life wherever he deems it beneficial 
to the Department. 

That the State Game and Fish Commissioner be vested 
with authority to have "Secret Service" work done for 
the Department when in his judgment it will be beneficial 
to the State, at an expense of not to exceed $5.00 per 
day and expenses of such person or persons and for such 
time as they are actually employed. 

That the duties of assisting; in the enforcement of the 
Game and Fish Laws of the State 1 shall also fall upon 
the entire constabulary of the State and that by reason 
of the creation of this Department the Sheriffs and 
Deputy Sheriffs are not relieved of their duties to enforce 
the Game and Fish Laws in their county. 

That the Department of the Shell Fish Commission be 
abolished and the work of the present Shell Fish Com- 
mission be placed under the supervision and jointly with 
this Department. 

That the State Game and Fish Commissioner be vested 
with authority to appoint a Deputy Game and Fish Com- 
missioner whose main duty it will be to generally direct 
and supervise the Shell Fish and commercial fishing in- 
dustries and who shall be required to assist in the en- 
forcement of the Game and Fish Laws of the State at 
a salary of not more than |2,000.00 per annum with 
necessary traveling and incidental expenses and who 
shall at all times be under the supervision of the State 
Game and Fish Commissioner. 

That the State Game and Fish Commissioner shall be 
vested with authority in such instances as he deems 
proper and necessary to employ legal counsel either for 
advice to the Department, including himself, Deputy 
Game and Fish Commissioner, Wardens and Deputy War- 
dens, and also to prosecute violators when necessary or 



<)<) 



to defend the action of anyone connected with the De- 
partment where defense is proper. 

That the Attorney General of the State be authorized 
and required to furnish the State Game and Fish Com- 
missioner, upon written request from him, his written 
opinion on any section of the laws pertaining to Game, 
Birds and Fish. 

I have not the least idea that the larger percent of 
these recommendations will be provided, but if our Rep- 
sentatives-elect and Senators-elect investigate the true 
conditions that exist in this State pertaining to wild life 
and compare it with the present laws, I will get their 
support in practically every request that I have made. 

It was not the intent of the Legislators who created 
this Department that it be for revenue only, but the pri- 
mary purpose of the Department was protection and 
proper disposition of the Game, Birds and Fish of the 
State, and proper protection cannot be given and proper 
disposition cannot be made under the present laws. 

I appreciate the cooperation you have given me in the 
interest of this Department, which has been of great 
assistance to me in discharging the duties of the office. 
I desire to thank the Wardens for the services they have 
rendered, and while the public generally does not know 
it, considering the conditions that exist, I feel their serv- 
ices have been extremely good. 

I thank those whose interest in the success of this work 
has been manifested, and I especially desire to thank 
Hon. Charles Willis Ward, who has so liberally offered 
to contribute to the work in the protection of the birds 
of Lee County. I desire to make special mention of my 
appreciation of the work that has been and is now being 
accomplished by the many members of the Audubon 
Societies. Their work is very valuable to this Depart- 
ment, and I have no doubt that the creation of the De- 
partment was founded upon their past activity in the 
protection of wild life. 



01 



I desire that this be accepted as a personal appeal to 
all who are interested in the success of this Department 
to cooperate with me in the work in order that success 
will be the ending. 

I would respectfully ask each and everyone interested 
in the protection of wild life to ask the careful consider- 
ation of each and every Representative in the next Legis- 
lature and ask them to write the addresses given herein 
and obtain information from Departments similar to 
this in other States and countries and see what great 
good they can do for their State by enacting laws at the 
next session of the Legislature that will protect our 
Game, Birds and Fish, and making proper provision for 
the enforcement of the laws that they enact. 

I shall be very glad to answer any questions, if possi- 
ble, that the reader of this report might feel sufficiently 
interested to ask regarding the subjects it deals with. 

I have the honor to remain, 

Very truly yours, 

E. Z. JONES, 

Commissioner. 



62 



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63 



NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF COUNTY WARDENS. 



COUNTY. 


NAME. 


ADDRESS. 


Alachua, 


L. W. Jackson, 


Gainesville. 


Baker, 


J. T. Dorman, 


Macclenny, 


Bradford, 


A. A. Hazen, 


■I'.rooker. 


Bay, 


J. A. Thomas. 


Panama City. 


Brevard, 


S. E. Rice, 


Titusville. 


Calhoun, 


E. Henderson, 


Blountstown. 


Columbia, 


J. T. Morris, 


Lake City. 


Clay, 


O. T. Blitch, 


Peoria. 


Citrus. 


J. M. Hodges, 


Crystal River. 


Duval, 


D. J. Herrin, 


Jacksonville. 


Dade, 


W. N. Hull, 


Miami. 


DeSoto, 


T. S. Carlton, 


Arcadia. 


Escambia, 


J. F. Davis, 


Pensacola. 


Franklin, 


A. S. Campo, 


Apalachicola. 


Gadsden, 


J. D. Clark, 


Mt. Pleasant. 


Hillsboro, 


T. Q. Jones, 


Edison, Junction. 


Holmes, 


John W. Hawkins. 


Westville. 


Hamilton, 


A. A. Avariett, 


Jennings. 


Hernando, 


I. R. Lisk, 


Riggold. 


Jackson, 


E. G. Kilpatrick. 


Marianna. 


Jefferson, 


J. H. Girardeau, 


Monticello. 


Lake, 


S. P. Kirkland. 


Altoona. 


Lee, 


G. R. Jones, 


Marco. 


Liberty, 


J. J. Parrish, 


Wilma. 


Leon, 


T. H. Cromartie, 


Miccosukie. 


Levy, 


W. B. Mozo, 


Rosewood. 


Lafayette, 


John S. Bodiford, 


Eugene. 


Manatee, 


Chas. F. McCall, 


Manatee. 


Monroe, 


Benj. R. Hart. 


Key West. 


Madison, 


S. B. Mays, 


Madison. 


Marion, 


C. W. Smith, 


Oeala. 


Nassau, 


A. B. Jones, 


Yulee. 


Orange, 


E. C. McDowell, 


Orlando. 


Osceola. 


M. B. Carson, 


Kissimmee. 


Polk, 


R. S. Cheatham. 


Bartow. 


Pasco. 


E. J. Gasque, 


Dade City. 


Pinellas, 


L. N. Hendrv, 


riearwater. 


Palm Beach. 


G. B. Snell, 


West Palm Beaeb. 


Putnam, 


J. R. Cannon, 


Palatka. 


St. Johns, 


W. J. Williams. 


St. Augustine. 


Santa Rosa. 


D. Q. Hurst, 


Holley. 


Suwannee. 


None. 




Seminole, 


A. T. Rossiter. 


Sanford. 


Sumter, 


I. P. Rainey, 


Oxford. 


St. Lucie, 


J.. W. Knight, 


Vero. 


Taylor, 


H. C. Vick, 


Perry. 


Volusia, 


S. D. Peacock. 


DeLand. 


Walton, 


T. J. McKee, 


DeFuniak Springs. 


Washington, 


F. B. Calloway. 


t'hipley. 


Wakulla, 


J. E. Forbes, 


Crawfordville. 



64 



FOR INFORMATION REGARDING HUNTING AND FISHING 
IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND STATES. 



STATE. 



Alabama, 

Arizona, 

Arkansas, 

California, 

Colorado, 

Connecticut, 

Delaware, 

District of Columbia, 

Florida, 

Georgia, 

Idaho, 

Illinois, 

Indiana, 

Iowa, 

Kansas. 

Kentucky, 

Louisiana, 

Maine, 

Maryland. 

Massachusetts. 

Michigan, 

Minnesota, 

Mississippi, 

Missouri, 

Montana, 

Nebraska, 

Nevada, 

New Hampshire, 

New Jersey, 

New Mexico, 

New York, 

North CaroliHa, 

North Dakota, 

North Dakota, 

Ohio, 

Oklahoma, 

Oregon. 

"Pennsylvania. 

Rhode Island, 

South Carolina. 

South Dakota, 

Tennessee, 

Texas, 

Utah, 

Vermont, 

Virginia, 

Washington, 

West Virginia, 

Wisconsin, 

Wyoming, 

COUNTRIES. 

Alaska, 

Alberta, 

British Columbia. 

Manitoba, 

New Brunswick. 

Newfoundland, 

Nova Scotia, 

Ontario, 

Quebec, 

Saskatchewan, 

T T . S. Federal Laws. 



NAME. 



J. H. Wallace, Jr., 

Board of G. & F. Com., 

E. V. Visart, 

Board of G. & F. Com.. 

Jas. A. Shinn, 

C. H. Pease, 

Board of G. & F. Com., 

Richard Sylvester, 

E. Z. Jones, 

J. E. Mercer, 

O. H. Barber, 

J. A. Wheeler, 

Geo. W. Mills, 

E. C. Hinshaw, 

L. L. Dyche, 

J. Quincy Ward, 

Conservation Com., 

J. S. P. H. Wilson. 

Franklin E. Cox, 

Dept. Fisher's & Game. 

Wm. R. Oates, 

Board of G. & F. Com., 

Miles Carroll, 

Jesse A. Tolerton, 

J. L. Dellart, 

Gust Rutenbeck, 

George Brodigan, 

Fish & Game Corns., 

Board of G. & F. Com., 

Trinidad C. DeBaca, 

N. Y. Conservat'n Com. 

J. Q. Cheshire, 

E. B. McCutcheon, 
W. F. Reko, 
John C. Speaks, 
John B. Doolin, 
Wm. L. Finley, 
Dr. Jas. Kalbfus, 

C. H. Pierce, 

A. A. Richardson, 
H. S. Hedrick, 
W. D. Howser, 
J. D. Cox, 

F. W. Chambers, 
John W. Titcomb, 
L. T. Christian, 
L. H. Darwin, 

J. A. Viquesney, 
John A. Sholts, 

D. F. Hudson, 

NAME. 

Dept. of Agr. of U. S. 
Ben.i. Lawton. 
A. Bryan Williams, 
Charles Barber, 
Crown Land Dept., 
A. W. Piccott, 
J. A. Knight. 
Edward Tinsley, 
Hector Caron, 
Fred Bradshaw. 
Henrv W. Henshaw. 



ADDRESS. 



Montgomery, Ala. 
Phoenix, Ariz. 
Little Rock, Ark. 
San Francisco, Cal. 
Denver, Colo. 
Canaan, Conn. 
Wilmington, Del. 
Washington, D. C. 
Jacksonville, Fla. 
Atlanta, Ga. 
Boise, Idaho. 
Springfield, 111. 
Indianapolis, Ind. 
Spirit Lake, Iowa. 
Pratt, Kan. 
Frankfort, Ky. 
New Orleans, La. 
Auburn, Me. 
Baltimore, Md. 
Boston. Mass. 
Lansing, Mich. 
St. Paul, Minn. 
Yazoo City, Miss. 
Jefferson City, Mo. 
Helena, Mont. 
Lincoln, Neb. 
Carson City, Nev. 
Concord, N. H. 
Trenton, N. J. 
Santa Fe, New Mex. 
Albany, N. Y. 
Raleigh. N. C. 
Minot, N. D. 
Mandan, N. D. 
Columbus, Ohio. 
Oklahoma City, Okla. 
Portland, Ore. 
Harrisburg. Pa. > 
Rumford, R. I. 
Columbia, S. C. 
Pierre. S. Dak. 
Nashville, Tenn. 
Austin, Texas. 
Salt Lake City, Utah. 
Lyndonville, Vt. 
Richmond, Va. 
Billingham, Wash. 
Rellington. W. Va. 
Madison, Wis. 
Lander. Wyo. 

ADDRESS. 

Washington, D. C. 
Edmondton, Alta, Can. 
Vancouver, B. C. 
Winnipeg, Man.. Can. 
Fredericton. N. B. 
St. John, N. F. 
Halifax. N. S.. Can. 
Toronto, Ont. 
Quebec, Can. 
Regina. Sask . Can. 
Washington. I). C. 



b'5 



THE WHIPPOORWILL. 

The Whippoorwill needs no introduction ! it is more than a 
bird — it is a national favorite. When the mantle of night has 
fallen, and the busy world is still, we who are in the country in 
summer often hear a loud, clear, melodious whistle from some- 
where near the barn. As plainly as print, it exclaims, "Wnip- 
Poor-Will !" and repeats it. again and again. Before each regular 
call, there is a faint "chuck," or catching of the breath, strong 
emphasis on the "whip," and at I be end a piercing whistle which 
is positively thrilling. 

Sometimes the bird will come and perch within thirty feet of 
your tent-door, and whistle at the rate of forty whippoorwills to 
the minute. Its call awakens sentimental reflections, and upon 
most persons exercises a peculiar, soothing influence. It has been 
celebrated in several beautiful poems and songs. 

The range of this interesting bird is the same as that of the 
uighthawk. In the South, both are replaced by another goat- 
sucker called, from its whistle, the Chuck-Will's Widow. Until 
actually hearing it, one can scarely believe that any bird of this 
order can say things as plainly as this bird says "Chuck Will's 
Widow !" The Pacific States, from British Columbia to Mexico, 
and eastward to Nebraska, have the Whippoorwill. 

— Selected. 



IN THE HEART OF THE WOODS. 
* Such beautiful things in the heart of the woods ! 
Flowers and ferns and the soft green moss ; 
Such love of the birds in the solitudes, 

Where the swift wings glance, and the tree-tops toss : 
Space of silence, swept with song 

Which nobdy hears but the God above; 
Spaces where myriad creatures throng, 
Sunning themselves in his Guardian love. 

Such safety and peace in the heart of the woods. 

Far from the city's dust and din, 
Where passion nor hate of man intrudes, 

Nor fashion nor folly has entered in. 
Deeper than hunter's trail hath gone 

Glimmers the tarn where the wild deer drink ; 
And fearless and free comes the gentle fawn 

To peep at herself o'er the grassy brink. ' 



5 Game 



(3<i 



Such pledge of love in the heart of the woods. 

For the Maker all things keeps the least. 
And over the tiny owlet hroods 

With care that for ages has never ceased. 
If he care for this will he not for thee— 

Thee, whatever thou art today? 
Child of an infinite Father see ; 

And safe in such gentlest keeping stay. 

— Margaret E. Sangster. 

(Selected from Hon. John H. Wallace's Alabama "Bird Day 
Book). 



SPRING. 



I hear the wild geese honking 
From out the misty night — 

A sound of moving armies 
On-sweeping in their might ; 

The river ice is drifting 

Beneath their northward flight. 

I hear the bluebird plaintive 
From out the morning sky. 

Or see his wings a-twinkle 
That with the azure vie; 

No other bird more welcome. 
No more prophetic cry. 

I hear the sparrow's ditty 

Anear my study door ; 
A simple song of gladness 

That winter days are o'er ; 
My heart is singing with him. 

T love him more and more. 

I hear the startling fluting 

His liquid "Oka-lee;" 
I hear the downy drumming 

His vernal reveille; 
From out the maple orchard 

The nuthatch calls to me. 



67 



O, spring is surely coming — 

Her courtiers till the air; 
Each morn are new arrivals ; 

Each night her ways prepare ; 
I scent her fragrant garments, 

Her foot is on the stair. 

— John burroughs. 



THE BIRDS IN CHURCH. 

God's happy children of the air 

On leafy houghs are swaying, 
While beings fair with forms divine 

Are in the churches praying. 

Cathedral grand with vaulted skies, 

The songs of hirds are filling; 
The wide extended plains of heaven 

Are with their rapture thrilling. 

They chant the anthems of their King 
And worship Him with singing ; 

Who listens to their songs may hear 
The chimes of heaven a-ringing. 

We bow before the Lord in prayer. 

Our love to Him expressing ; 
The prayer is said, we rise, and lo ! 

We see a sight distressing. 

From bough to bough, from tree to tree. 

The birds, no longer flitting, 
All bruised and crushed and cold and dead. 

On ladies' hats are sitting. 

And now no chirping music wild 

On airy wings is swelling ; 
The voiceless birds to church have gone 

To find an alien dwelling. 

Within, the sinners, vain with pride, 

Believe that Ood is hearing 
While on their shapeless hats, in truth. 

Five million birds they're wearing. 



G8 



Methinks could all those lifeless birds 
Our hearts with songs be filling. 

A plaintive voice to us would say, 
"Why don*t you stop this killing?" 

An answer bold in haste is made. 

"What cares a bird for living?'' 
Just this, kind friend, to live the life 

That God to it is giving. 

No tearful voice, no whispered song. 

Can end without His knowing; 
Spare, then, the birds whose songs do set 

The world to music going. 



-Selected. 



THE LITTLE BIRD TELLS. 

It's strange how little boys* mothers 

Can find it all out as they do. 
If a fellow does anything naughty, 

Or says anything that's not true. 
They'll look at you just for a moment. 

Till your heart in your bosom swells. 
And then they know all about it. 

For a little bird tells. 

Now where the little bird comes from, 

Or where the little bird goes : 
If he's covered with beautiful plumage 

Or black as the king of crows ; 
If his voice is as hoarse as the raven's. 

Or clear as the ringing of bells. 
I know not, but this T am sure of — 

A little bird tells. 

And the only contrivance to stop him 

Is just to be sure what you say — 
Sure of facts and your fancies, 
Sure of your facts and your fancies. 
Re honest, be brave and he kindly ; 

Be gentle and loving as well. 
And then you can laugh at the stories 

The little bird tells. —Selected. 



(59 



THE RED BIR1K 
1 watch his wings in thickets dim, 
For sunset seems to follow him— 
•Sunset from some mysterious West 
Whose crimson glory girds his breast. 
A winged ruby wrought of fame, 
Whence comes his beauty? whence his Dame? 
Clear as a bright awakening beam 
Through the vague vista of a dream. 
An answer comes. I seem to feel 
The flash of armor, glint of steel. 
The whirr of arrows quick and keen. 
The battle-axes baleful sheen, 
The long, relentless spear whose thrust 
Makes the mad foeman writhe in dust : 
The din of conflict and the stress 
Of war's incarnate angriness ; ;:: * 
A wavering mass; * * a panic wrough 

Swift as some stormy burst of thought : 
Then distance hides a vanquished host. 
And sound becomes a wandering ghost. 
But soon 1 see. haif-poised in air, 
And stricken by a nameless fear, 
A small, brown-breasted bird, whose eyes 
Are clouded with a deep surprise — 
The earliest bird with terror rife 
At wild waste of human life. 
How soon his dread to wonder turns. 
As downward where a life-stream burns 
He darts and dips his quivering wings. 
While o'er his heart the crimson clings! 
With ruthful eyes and reverent face 
He hovers slowly o'er the place; 
And when at last his wings are spread. 
A lurid luster crowns his head. 
And his bright body soars afar. 
Red as autumnal sunsets are. — srfectcd. 



THE Bill I) OF OMEy. 
When summer suns are blazing down. 
And stifling heat hangs o'er the town : 
When brooks are stilled and fields are sere. 
And corn is popping on the ear ; 
When collars wilt and breezes shirk. 



70 



And soda squirts get in their work — 
What bird is he whose cheery voice 
Awakens hope and bids rejoice? 
A bird whose Tetrazinni note 
Wells from an inconsistent throat. 
For hearts oppressed with heat and woe? 
The Rain Crow ! 

When clouds sag heavy in the sky. 

And woodland paths are far from dry ; 

When wayside brooklets, like the lark. 

Arise, above high- water mark ; 

When picnic grounds are drenched clear through. 

And tennis courts run in a slough — 

What bird is he whose raucous croak 

Falls on the heart like leaden stroke 

Of doom, and makes the outdoor man 

Give utt'rance to a fervent "damn !" 

As he searches for a stone to throw? — 

The Rain Crow! —Selected. 



BOBOLINK. 

This bird is about seven inches in length; it breeds from Ohio 
northeast to Nova Scotia, north to Manitoba, and northwest to 
British Columbia, and winters in South America. 

When American writers awoke to the beauty and attractiveness 
of our native birds, among the first to be enshrined in song and 
story was the bobolink. Few species show such striking contrasts 
in the color of the sexes, and few have songs more unique and 
whimsical. In its northern home the bird is loved for its beauty 
and its rich melody: in the South it earns deserved hatred by its 
destructiveness. Bobolinks reach the southeastern coast of the 
United States the last half of April just as rice is sprouting and 
ar once begin to pull up and devour the sprouting kernels. Soon 
they move on t<> their northern breeding grounds, where they feed 
upon insects, weed seeds and a little grain. When the young are 
well on the wing, they gather in flocks with the parent birds and 
gradually move southward, being then generally known as reed 
birds. They reach the rice fields of the Carolinas about August 
when the rice is in the milk. Then until the birds depart for 
South America planters and birds fight for the crop, and in spite 
of constant watchfulness and innumerable devices for scaring the 
birds a loss of ten per cent of the rice is the usual result. 
(From Hon. John Wallace's "Bird Day Book.'") 



71 



NIGHTINGALE. 

Widely heralded in song and story as the producer of the highest 
and most perfect type of hird music is the celebrated Nightingale. 
This is a small, plain bird, being only a trine over six inches 
long, uniform brown tinged with rufous above and grayish white 
beneath. It is a migratory species, coming in April from its winter 
home in Africa to southern and central Europe, returning year 
after year to the same localities. It is ordinarily a rather shy 
bird, frequently woodlands, groves, bramble thickets and hedges, 
especially along streams where it secures its food, which consists 
exclusively of insects, mainly on the ground, in general habits 
and appearance much resembling the Robin. It has the habit of 
hopping rapidly by fits and starts, standing erect and motionless 
at intervals as if to listen, and occasionally throwing up the tail 
and lowering the head and wings, just as the Robin does. It com- 
mences to sing a few days after its arrival, keeping it up until 
the young are hatched in June, singing in line weather at intervals 
during the day and often late into the night. The Nightingale 
makes a rather large, loose nest of dead leaves and grasses, lined 
with finer grasses, rootlets, and occasionally horse-hair, placing it 
on or near the ground under a hedge or in a dense thicket. The 
female is solicitous for the care of the egss and young, and at 
this season often permits of a close approach. — Selected. 

(From Hon. John Wallace's Alabama "Bird Day Hook.") 



BEAUTIFUL ISLE. 
Somewhere the sun is shining, 

Somewhere the song-birds dwell : 
Hush, then, thy sad repining, 

God lives and all is well. 

Somewhere the day is longer. 

Somewhere the task is done : 
Somewhere the heart is stronger. 

Somewhere the guerdon won. 

Somewhere the load is lifted. 

Close by an open gate; 
Somewhere the clouds are rifted. 

Somewhere the angels wait. 

Somewhere, Somewhere, Beautiful Isle of Somewhere! 

Land of the true where we live anew, 

Beautiful Isle of Somewhere! — Selected. 



7-2 



SIGHT HAWK. 

Length, lu inches. Not to be confused with the whippoorwill. 
The latter lives in woodland and. is chiefly nocturnal. The night- 
hawk often flies by day, when the white bar across the wing and 
its nasal cry are distinguishing. 

Range : Breeds throughout most of the United States and 
Canada ; winters in South America. 

Habits and economic status : The skillful evolutions of a com- 
pany of nighthawks as the birds gracefully cleave the air in inter- 
secting circles is a sight to be remembered. So expert are they on 
the wing that no insect is safe from them, even the swift dragon- 
fly being captured with ease. Unfortunately their erratic flight 
tempts men to use them for targets, and this inexcusable practice 
is seriously diminishing their numbers, which is deplorable, since 
no birds are more useful. This species makes no nest, but lays its 
two spotted eggs on the bare ground, sometimes on the gravel 
roof of the city house. The nighthawk is a voracious feeder and 
is almost exclusively insectivorous. Some stomachs contained 
from 30 to 50 different kinds of insects, and more than 600 kinds 
have been identified from the stomachs thus far examined. From 
500 to 1,000 ants are often found in a stomach. Several species 
of mosquitoes, including Anopheles, the transmitter of malaria, are 
eaten. Other well-known pests destroyed by the nighthawk are 
the Colorado potato beetle, cucumber beetles, chestnut, rice, clover- 
leaf and cotton-boll-weevils, billbugs. bark beetles, squash bugs, 
and moths of the cotton worm. 

(From Hon. John Wallace's Alabama "Bird Day Book.") 



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